Its well-preserved historic center is one of the richest in monuments in Portugal, earning it the epithet City-Museum. In 1986, the city's historic center was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
Évora and its surrounding region has a rich history dating back more than five millennia, as demonstrated by nearby megalithic monuments such as Anta do Zambujeiro and Cromeleque dos Almendres. Some Neolithic settlements developed in the region, the closest located in Alto de São Bento .